TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Topeka Fire Department is holding the fourth annual Camp Courage event aimed at providing girls aged 14 to 20 a look into the world of firefighting.

Camp Courage is a one-week event designed to encourage female interest in the fire service, according to TFD. Each day campers will mimic real-world firefighter experiences including proper use of fire extinguishers, deploying fire hoses, search and rescue, basic first aid concepts and more.

Camp Courage brings 16 female instructors from Kansas and neighboring states to provide a one-on-one instructor-to-student ratio for each scenario, according to TFD.

“It’s amazing,” Topeka Fire Department Captain Rachel Hawkinson-Penny said. “I grew up in a small town. I didn’t even realize you could have a career as a firefighter. Had I seen that at a young age; I would have known exactly what I wanted to do. I didn’t realize till I was in college that you could do this as a career.”

There is no cost to attend Camp Courage, but instructors warn it is a physically demanding program.

Applications to attend Camp Courage open at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 1. The event will be held Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 5 to June 9.